


You're Not The Only One

by AbsolutelyLiviD



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: F/M, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, M BFF becoming M romance is superior, buckle up kids we're going on a rideeee, choo choo here comes the angst train, hurting the emotionally stupid vampires is my favorite hobby, it's about the ANGst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:42:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbsolutelyLiviD/pseuds/AbsolutelyLiviD
Summary: Phoebe struggles with her feelings for Adam and his repression. Mason is her comfort and shoulder, but will he grow to become more than that?ORThe A&M LT, as told by me
Relationships: Detective/Adam du Mortain, Detective/Mason (The Wayhaven Chronicles), Female Detective/Adam du Mortain, Female Detective/Mason (The Wayhaven Chronicles)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm super anxious about this, but here goes I guess! Hope you enjoy the ride :D

"Hey." He didn't look up, so she nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, Mason. It's your turn."

He blinked slowly. "Of course." But something seemed off as he made his move.

Thankfully, Felix was there to keep the mood light. "Interesting." He examined the table carefully and then put down a card with a triumphant smile.

She groaned when she realised the situation and put down her own begrudgingly.

"I win!" he exclaimed with an absolutely shit-eating grin. Mason rolled his eyes at his antics, and she smiled to see his familiar self returning.

She then leaned forward and braced her arms against the table. "Congratulations." She might have been irritated, but she wasn't a sore loser. Not visibly, at least.

Felix grin grew at her acceptance. "Aw, thank you. Think Adam could have beat me if he was here?"

She froze, and beside her she could sense Mason doing the same. _Why does_ he _care?_ She felt immediately bad for thinking the thought, however. They were a _team._ Of course he would care.

Felix noticed the suddenly tense athmosphere and turned his gaze to his shoes. "Sorry... bad subject?"

Nate gave her a reassuring smile. "He won't do that forever, you know. Trust me."

She could see the exact moment Felix realised. "Oh! I'm sorry, Phoebe." He offered a smaller grin. "I swear he'll come around."

She tried to smile, but it came out forced and Felix definitely noticed, by the way his grin became imperceptible. "Thanks, guys. Have _any_ of you seen him in these last weeks, anyway? He's been all gone from the earth's surface, as far as I know."

Nate's smile faltered, but he didn't respond. Felix opened his mouth, but a look from the older vampire closed it again. She could feel her heart sinking rapidly at their non-answer that was oh so very much an answer, and she hated it.

It was Mason who finally uttered the words. "He comes down here when you've gone to sleep sometimes."

She stared at him. "Sometimes, meaning?"

He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. "Almost every day. He isn't actually that antisocial, he just...."

 _Doesn't want to talk to you._ She knew the end to that question, and it surprised her that Mason wouldn't say it. Since when did he care about other people's feelings?

 _You know he does, and you're not actually angry at him, anyway._ She knew it was true. In these situations, she just wanted someone, _anyone_ to take out her frustration on. She had to get away before she actually lashed out.

"I get it." Nate opened his mouth to interject, but she continued before he could tell her any more pretty lies. "I _understand._ Look, if Adam doesn't want to talk to me, that's not something you guys can just change." _Don't lash out at them. Don't._ "I'm tired. I think I'll go to my room." _And cry._

She could hear Nate's sigh behind her as she left, but it was muted by the blood roaring in her ears. _Don't take it out on them. This is on you and your stupid hope._

Her room was empty, and that was probably what she needed at the moment. She groaned and sank down on her bed, rubbing her eyes to stop them from shedding tears. _You have a better handle on yourself than this. Stop expecting things that you know won't happen._

The door creaked open, and she didn't even bother looking up. She knew who it was by the sound of his steps, how he moved in her space like he was entirely at home there.

Mason perched on the arm of the only chair in the room. "Hey--"

She glared at him. "If you're here to give me therapy, don't. It's a waste of time." But he just frowned, and she wasn't able to stay mad.

"I'm not trying to, sweetheart."

She raised an eyebrow curiously. "Are you flirting with me?"

He let out a derisive snort. "Ha ha, very funny. I actually do have a little more respect than that. Just a little, but it's there."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've acquired a sense of humor all of a sudden. Any reason for this change?"

His voice was quiet. "Maybe I'm trying to take your mind off things. Is it working?"

She turned to look out the window. "I don't want to talk about it. Can we just... not?"

He was silent for a moment. Then he sighed, and she could hear him taking a step closer. "I can feel it, you know. Your emotions are strong when you're upset." His breath wafted against her neck, and she shuddered.

Leaning away slightly in confusion, she turned again to face him. "I've tried to forget about that little detail. Not exactly something I'm used to."

"No. I can imagine you sitting there after your dog died and still looking like the happiest person in the room." He cocked his head curiously. "You used to be better at lying."

She frowned. "What changed?" Could everyone see her strong emotions? Could _Adam?_

He looked thoughtful. "I don't know."

Mason had a a way of making her forget about her problems, if just for a minute or a couple. It was as nice as concerning, and it made her seek his company more often than not. They talked for a bit more, then parted ways.

Huh. She _did_ feel a little more at ease.

The man in her dreams still bothered her, but there was another watching from afar, giving her an encouraging smile. It gave her strength to continue, to wake up without crying.

She still hoped for change, even as she knew how it would, how it already had destroyed her bit for bit.


	2. Chapter 2

It was infuriating, the way he stepped into the room and suddenly her focus could be nowhere else. The way he drew her gaze and kept it, while still coldly keeping her away.

"A pack of werewolves have reached out to the Agency for discussion of a treaty. They agreed that we should be the ones to meet up with them."

Adam made a pause, letting everyone process the task at hand. "The werewolves have requested a smaller group, so only two of us will talk to them, while the rest wait nearby. If anything goes wrong, they will step in and hopefully calm the situation."

Phoebe spoke up first with a worried tone. "Is there a high risk of this happening?" She gestured vaguely with her hand to indicate fighting.

"Most likely not. It's simply a precaution, to avoid anyone getting hurt."

Nate added, "Including them, of course." Though Adam didn't seem as adamant of that, he nodded.

Then Felix asked the question they were all probably thinking in some degree. "So who's going to do the diplomacy work? I would like to prematurely vote out myself, because I'm... not the best at handling these things." He laughed hesitantly, and then his gaze slid to her and Adam. "I'm pretty sure I can think of two people who would _greatly_ enjoy it, though."

She groaned, but Adam either didn't notice or didn't care, which sent a tiny sting through her chest.

Taking a quick breath, she straightened in her seat and attempted to ignore it. "I'll be one of the two, if that's okay." She would've been lying if she said she wasn't hoping for exactly what Felix suggested.

However, it was futile. Adam simply nodded and continued, "Yes, that's fine." Surely she imagined the small crease between his eyebrows. "Considering the nature of the mission, I think N--"

"I'll go with her." Mason gave her a... not quite _soft_ smile, but... something. His tone was sharper and left no room for argument.

She nodded gratefully and raised a brow at Adam, trying not to falter under his gaze. "I think we work good together." _You and I could too, if you'd let us try. It's not too late to say_ you _want to join me._

If he heard the double-meaning, he took no notice of it. "Fine. Then Nate, Felix and I will hold backup."

 _Fine. It's fine._ She didn't bother looking back at him as she left the room with a quiet, "Then it's settled." The door closed behind her, leaving a blissful silence.

She wasn't sure where to go, being in the middle of the forest, but she felt the familiar urge of needing to do _something._ She should probably have taken up a hobby already, with how often it happened. In the meantime, she settled for pushing around the dirt with her shoe.

The simple motion helped calm her mind, and she didn't notice that Mason had come out until he was right beside her. "Hey."

She met his gaze with a hopefully neutral expression. "Hey, Mason." Then she added, almost having forgotten it, "Thank you. You didn't have to do that, in there."

He shrugged. "I wanted to." The casual words made a warm feeling bloom in her chest. Mason wasn't exactly someone who did overt caring gestures, and she'd gotten used to that. But it also meant that these small things meant much more.

"Well, I'm grateful anyway. Although I wish..." she trailed off, looking down at the forest floor.

He nodded. "You wanted to go with _him._ I know." She didn't stir, so he grabbed her chin with an unusually gentle grip. "Hey. I'm not gonna be cheesy like these guys, but if he doesn't get his shit together, he'll have to deal with me. That better?"

She nodded, and he added, "Besides, it's just a mission. He might've been thinking wholly tactically, in which case I'm sure you can agree he's _not_ the best one to send for diplomacy."

That actually made her laugh. "Yeah, that's true."

He stepped away from her with a content smile. "There you go. It'll all work out great."

She snorted. "I think you've forgotten your _own_ skill, or lack of it, in diplomacy. What if you accidentally make them eat me?"

He shrugged. "It's a risk you have to take." She couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but then he added, "I bet you taste delicious."

She groaned. "Really? You're such a menace."

"Are you complaining, sweetheart?"

"It's not exactly appropriate to flirt with a... whatever I am. Not single, at least."

"I thought I told you that I wasn't doing that."

"Yeah, and _I_ thought that would mean less teasing."

He nodded with a surprisingly understanding look. "You want me to stop?"

She thought about it. "No, it's fine. Just... I'm curious about what it means."

He nodded. "It means I'm comfortable with you. I guess. It's not a big deal."

"Maybe not to you. I, personally, treasure my friends very much."

"Ugh."

"Is that such a bad word?"

He thought about it. "No, I guess not. Don't expect me to say it, though."

She smiled. "I won't. You're still safe in your 'aloof smoker man' aesthetic."

He chuckled, taking the joke in stride. "Good."

She checked her watch. "I have to go to the station, but I'll see you later?"

"Sure." She thought she felt his gaze bore into her back when she walked towards her car, but decided not to tease him further if he did.

Either way, a smile had found its way onto her features that didn't leave until much later.


End file.
